Important developments in #Syria this past week -- all covered by #SyriaWeekly: - Sharaa visit to #Tartus signals future Coastal role - FM historic trip to #Algeria - Energy Minister in #Washington - M5 Rastan Bridge reopened - #SDF security integration & more. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

"The Collapse of #ISIS in #Syria" My latest for Middle East Institute takes a look at #ISIS's dramatic decline & the role played by #Assad's departure; the #SDF's military defeat; & the withdrawal of US forces. Important lessons to be learned, here. mei.edu/publication/...

NEW -- "#Suwayda prisoner escape triggers raids, arrests, defections & leadership coup" My latest, as the Druze National Guard turns on itself after "traitors" freed prisoners into government areas. #Assad Generals are at the heart of it all, again. www.syriaweekly.com/p/suwayda-pr...

Want to catch up on all key developments across #Syria from the past week? This week's #SyriaWeekly newsletter is FREE for all readers. From conflict & security, to diplomacy, appointments, the economy, infrastructure, education, health & a lot more. www.syriaweekly.com/p/free-syria...

"#Syria Wants to Replace the Strait of Hormuz" - My latest for @foreignpolicy.com looks at #Syria's pitch to become the #MiddleEast’s new transit & logistics hub, through pipelines, railways, telecomms, as well as ground & maritime commercial trade. foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/29/s...

NEW #SyriaWeekly data update: - Another week, another near-record low; - UXO remains a persistent threat to life; - Plus 4 more key data insights on: * #ISIS * #Israel * Anti-government insurgency * Vigilantism. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-data...

Consequential developments in #Syria this week -- read #SyriaWeekly: - NE elections open path for parliament launch in June - #SDF prisoner release - Public sector salaries ↑ - Sharaa raises wheat price - MOD in exercises alongside NATO members & more www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

NEW -- #Syria just closed out its most stable week in 15yrs, setting a new record amid 10 weeks of consistent lows. Meanwhile, #Israel has conducted a major escalation of military operations in #Syria's southwest. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-data...

A corner of Syria is now effectively a narco-state, run by former Assad officers and organized crime figures, and shielded by Israel. @charleslister1.bsky.social explains how it got this way and why outside powers are running out of options. newlinesmag.com/argument/how...

#Syria's province of #Suwayda has emerged as a narco state, run by remnants of #Assad's regime & organized crime leaders -- and protected by #Israel. My latest for @newlinesmag.bsky.social contains *a lot* of exclusive information. newlinesmag.com/argument/how...

Preparations to hold an election process in formerly #SDF-held areas of northeast #Syria are moving forward, with subcommittees formed & participant lists growing. As I covered for #SyriaWeekly today, these elections are hugely significant. Full video -- www.syriaweekly.com/p/video-your...

BIG developments in #Syria this past week, including: - Govt reshuffle - EU Cooperation Agreement - Syria-#UAE investments - #Lebanon PM visit - NE election committees finalized - ‘War of Banners’ in Hasakeh - VISA/Mastercard test - New offshore gas deal www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

EXCLUSIVE -- #Hezbollah's Syrian insurgent campaign in #Syria - Following today's raids across the country, #SyriaWeekly takes a look at a year-long campaign of #Hezbollah-backed plots & Syrian govt interceptions, with lots of new exclusive details. www.syriaweekly.com/p/special-he...

#SyriaWeekly is FREE this week. Today's newsletter covers 200+ developments, including: - FM visit to #Egypt - #Syria-#Jordan-#Lebanon energy deal - #SDF integration - Chinese cement plant for #Raqqa - VISA & Mastercard rollout - #Assad Generals caught www.syriaweekly.com/p/free-syria...

For 8 weeks in a row, Syria has experienced 15-year record lows in violence, as the country's path of stabilization continues. Read #SyriaWeekly's analysis & check out the exclusive underlying datasets. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-data...

As someone who spent years working on this problem set, I highly recommend @charleslister1.bsky.social's "Syria's Al-Hol Camp comes to an end, but not the way anyone intended" open.substack.com/pub/syriawee...

EXCLUSIVE -- "#Syria's Al-Hol Camp comes to an end..." My latest provides a window into how everything fell apart in al-Hol over the past 4 weeks, with *lots* of exclusive details unreported elsewhere. www.syriaweekly.com/p/exclusive-...

NEW for the Middle East Institute: - “#Syria is stabilizing, but US help remains vital.” Based on exclusive data, the trends of stabilization over the past 14 months are all clear, but to sustain & improve further, the U.S. will remain vital. mei.edu/publication/...

FREE for all readers. This week's #SyriaWeekly newsletter catches you up on everything that's developed in/around #Syria & its transition over the past 7 days. Want this every week -- along with video briefings & data analysis? Make sure to subscribe: www.syriaweekly.com/p/free-syria...

NEW -- 10 Takeaways from #Trump's Opening to #Syria. There's lots to unpack analytically from a sudden & major opening for post #Assad #Syria. Read here: www.syriaweekly.com/p/10-takeawa...

This week was hugely significant for #Syria's new gov't -- with official visits to #WashingtonDC & #NewYork resulting in a surge in diplomacy, new finance deals & investment openings. #SyriaWeekly covers every meeting & outcome: www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

Since I started #SyriaWeekly 10 months ago, I've been blown away by the interest. With ~50,000 views per month, we have subscribers in 109 countries around the world, including officials from 41 governments. Subscribe! syriaweekly.com

In the last 4 months of #Assad's rule, an average of 68 people were killed *every week* in acts of violence. In the last 4 weeks, the average has been 49. Last week was 24. www.syriaweekly.com/p/weekly-dat...

NEW #SyriaWeekly -- Ahmed al-Sharaa travels to #Turkey, #UAE & #Qatar; #Saudi pays off #Syria's World Bank debts; Ahmed al-Awda's 8th Brigade dissolves in #Daraa; and #SDF-#Damascus de-escalation continues. All the details & much more: www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

NEW -- #Syria's gov't started work this week, with a new Central Bank governor, ambassador reshuffles & a surge in #Druze engagement in #Suwayda. #SyriaWeekly covers everything, in the latest newsletter: Subscribe: www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

NEW -- #SyriaWeekly's latest data updates show armed violence increased 16% across #Syria over the past week. Plus tracking actions by pro-#Assad insurgents, #ISIS, #Israel & kidnappings & UXO incidents. www.syriaweekly.com/p/weekly-dat...

I just left #Syria after an extraordinary trip — one that until recently I never thought I’d make again. From #Aleppo, to #Idlib, #Latakia, #Tartus, #Salamiya, #Suwayda & #Damascus. So many takeaways, but most of all: it's free & everyone is overjoyed. A 🧵:

For years, #ISIS & #AlQaeda accused #HTS of complicity in US drone strikes in #Syria -- and for years, #HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has wanted a CT/security partnership with the U.S. He may now have it. Exclusive details: www.syriaweekly.com/p/us-begins-...

NEW -- the EU has suspended all sanctions on #Syria related to air, land & sea shipping, as well as banking & energy for 12 months. A good step, following on from US actions. A short 🧵:

NEW -- #Trump's global aid freeze has cut the salaries paid to many of the prison & camp guards responsible for securing 9,500 #ISIS militants & ~40,000 associated women/kids in northeast #Syria. Many are no longer turning up for work.

NEW -- the US has begun intel sharing with #Syria's #HTS-led transition, focused on countering #ISIS. A huge move that comes after years of widely rumored #HTS CT collaboration with foreign states -- or just lots of coincidences. www.syriaweekly.com/p/us-begins-...

"While the lead role being played by #HTS in #Syria's transition undoubtedly raises many challenging questions, Ahmed al-Sharaa isn’t Bashar al-#Assad & #HTS isn’t Assad’s regime. Sanctions on one can't simply be transferred to the other." www.syriaweekly.com/p/as-syria-r...

To say a lot has happened in/around #Syria over the past week would be an understatement. Today's NEW #SyriaWeekly update will catch you up on everything -- and this one is FREE access for all. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

#NewYear celebrations ongoing in #Damascus, #Syria! 2025 will be the first year free of #Assad tyranny since 1971 — more than half a century.

The amount of disinformation doing the rounds on #Syria these days is stunning -- some is organized & by design, but much more is the result of simple ignorance. To make matters worse, *very* few appear capable of distinguishing fact from fiction. A 🧵:

NEW -- #SyriaWeekly has the latest comprehensive guide to #Syria's #HTS-led transition, as well as everything else that's happened across #Syria over the past week. There's a lot. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syrias-tra...

One of the best things I have read on Syria by @charleslister1.bsky.social foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/08/s...

NEW -- "#Assad’s Regime Ends & An Uncertain Transition Begins" - #SyriaWeekly has the ultimate, comprehensive guide on the fall of #Damascus & the rapidly moving transition now underway in #Syria. www.syriaweekly.com/p/assads-reg...

"US foreign policy in the region could change on a dime... #Trump has already stated the US should have “nothing to do” with #Syria’s future. But to do nothing would give #ISIS a chance to surge once again." My latest in the NY Times: www.nytimes.com/2024/12/15/o...

#HTS's tip-of-the-spear advance across #Syria has presented international actors with a huge legal/policy dilemma -- a 🧵 After 2 days of #Syria diplomatic talks, it's clear most are considering the likelihood that designations may need re-considering.

🚨 NEW EPISODE – The chaos of our disordered world gives terror groups the cover they need to regroup. 🚨 @ejbeals.bsky.social talks to Middle East experts @ryanmofarrell.bsky.social & @charleslister1.bsky.social about the resurgent #IslamicState and what it means. 🚨 Listen now linktr.ee/DrillPod

Having worked on #Syria full-time since the crisis began nearly 14yrs ago, there really is no understating how remarkable the losses imposed on #Assad's regime have been over the past week. A large reason for this lies with #HTS — a 🧵:

Unfortunately, Charles Lister isn’t on Bluesky (yet), but this is the best update on Syria you will find anywhere: www.syriaweekly.com/p/special-sy...

As opposition forces advance in northern #Syria, families long separated by war & by the terror instilled by the #Assad regime’s security state are finally being reunited. These brothers hadn’t seen each other for 7yrs, until today in #Aleppo.a

It’s been a while since #Russia was precision striking hospitals in #Syria - but it’s restarted, as #Putin pursues a punishment campaign against civilians & vital infrastructure. This was #Idlib University hospital earlier today:

I had a great 35-min chat with @lawfare.bsky.social yesterday -- discussing the return of major hostilities in #Syria. This should offer a good foundation for understanding what's going on, why & to what end. www.youtube.com/watch?v=09h_...

Really good, historically cognizant, granular analysis of the offensive that you aren't going to get reading mainstream news

OK, here we go. Here's a comprehensive guide to what's happened in #Syria in recent days -- lots of exclusive details, data & analysis on the capture of #Aleppo & much more. www.syriaweekly.com/p/special-sy...

Here's my lengthy interview with PBS Newshour -- discussing major escalation in #Syria, what it means, what comes next & what the risks are for the US. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyMp...

If I don't collapse of exhaustion beforehand, I plan to publish a comprehensive explainer on developments in NW #Syria in #SyriaWeekly's regular newsletter tomorrow. It'll be free for anyone to read. syriaweekly.com